A woman was shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents at a gas station in Brighton Park on Saturday morning, triggering swift responses from government officials, protests in the streets, and an unusual directive from a high-ranking Chicago Police Department officer instructing local police to steer clear of the area.
At around 10:30 a.m., a woman dialed 911 to report that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent had shot her in the 3900 block of South Kedzie, according to police dispatch logs. Chicago police initially were dispatched to the site, where federal agents claimed that the woman was armed and was involved in a group of vehicles trying to disrupt ICE operations. She was subsequently taken to Mount Sinai Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds to her legs, arm, and chest, based on preliminary reports.
Tricia McLaughlin, an Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, commented on social media stating that the woman had been the focus of a recent Border Patrol notice “for doxing agents and posting online messages urging her followers to disrupt operations.”
According to McLaughlin, agents were “pinned in by vehicles” and had to exit their cars. One individual who allegedly collided with a law enforcement vehicle was reported to be armed with a semi-automatic weapon, leading McLaughlin to characterize the firing as “defensive shots fired at an armed American citizen.” It should be noted that McLaughlin misstated the location of the shooting, citing Broadview instead of Chicago.
The CPD issued a brief statement clarifying that they were not involved in the shooting or its follow-up investigation.
“CPD officers were present solely for maintaining safety and managing traffic in the surrounding area,” stated the department. “Federal authorities are currently conducting the investigation into this shooting.”
As details of the shooting spread, crowds started to gather at the gas station. By approximately 12:30 p.m., a dispatcher relayed that “armed border patrol agents” were “surrounded by a large crowd.” Officers received a message in their in-car computers stating, “NO UNITS WILL RESPOND TO THIS,” which was attributed to the Chief of Patrol.
Concurrently, Governor JB Pritzker revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense had given him an ultimatum that morning to activate National Guard troops or face a federal takeover by President Donald Trump.
“In the hours ahead, the Trump Administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard,” Pritzker asserted in a written statement. “They will disrupt the lives of diligent Americans, pulling them from their jobs and families to engage in a staged performance—not a genuine effort to ensure public safety.” He further stated, “There’s no requirement for military personnel on the streets of Illinois… I will not mobilize our National Guard to support Trump’s aggressive tactics against our citizens.”
This incident marked at least the second occurrence this week in which CPD higher-ups directed officers to sidestep federal immigration enforcement activities. On Wednesday, after Border Patrol arrested a man at the site of a traffic collision on the West Side, CPD officers responded initially but were later instructed to keep their distance.
“The car from the crash can remain in the street,” one supervisor stated. “As long as we’re not over there, that’s all that matters.”
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About Tim Hecke
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Tim Hecke is the managing partner at CWBChicago. He began his career at KMOX, a renowned news radio station in St. Louis. Following this, he worked at multiple stations across Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Tim later developed syndicated radio news and content services that catered to all of America’s 100 largest radio markets. He became CWBChicago’s managing partner in 2019.
His email address is tim@cwbchicago.com
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